Old Federal Reserve Bank Building (San Francisco) facts for kids
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Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
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 Location in San Francisco
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 400 Sansome St., San Francisco, California |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | George W. Kelham |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000009 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1989 |
The Old Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Building is a very important building. It was once the main office for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. This bank is part of the United States' central banking system. For almost 60 years, this building was its home.
Today, the building is known as the Bently Reserve. You can find it at 400 Sansome Street in the Financial District of San Francisco. A famous architect named George W. Kelham designed it. The building has grand columns that look like Beaux-Arts style. Its upper parts show the newer Moderne style from 1924. Inside, the main lobby has a beautiful painting by Jules Guerin. This artist also helped create the colors for the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition. The Old Federal Reserve Building became a protected historic place in 1984.
In 1983, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco moved to a bigger building. The old building was then sold to private owners. They rented out the spaces inside. Now, a company called Bently Holdings owns the building. They rent out the top floors as offices. The large main hall and meeting rooms are used for events, meetings, and parties.
Contents
History of the Building
Building the Bank
The San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank first opened on November 16, 1914. It started in a rented space. This was a temporary home until its own building could be ready. The bank was created because of the Federal Reserve Act.
In 1918, the bank bought land for its new home. The land was big, about 120 feet by 275 feet. George Kelham was chosen to design the building. He was a well-known architect in San Francisco. He had also been the main architect for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Construction was supposed to start in 1919. But it was delayed because there were not enough workers or materials. The bank really needed more space, so building began in early 1920. The grand building was finished in 1924.
Moving to a New Home
By 1983, the Federal Reserve Bank needed more room. It moved to a larger building at 101 Market Street. The old building at 400 Sansome Street was then sold.
John J. Balles was the president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve at that time. He said they needed to bring all their departments together. When the bank first opened in 1914, it had only 21 employees. By 1983, there were about 1,000 employees in San Francisco. They had spread out into other buildings downtown. The main building at 400 Sansome had been their home for over 50 years.
Private Ownership Today
After the Federal Reserve moved, the building was sold. It was rented as office space for many years. In 1998, a company bought it and started renting the main hall for private events. In 2004, a law firm moved out, leaving the building mostly empty. Then, in 2005, Bently Holdings bought the building. They paid 46.8 million dollars for it.
Building Design and Art
Amazing Architecture
The Federal Reserve Bank Building is special because it was the first building made for the Federal Reserve System in San Francisco. It shows how important government buildings were designed to look grand in the early 1900s. It is a great example of San Francisco's beautiful bank buildings. These buildings often have a classic design. The building has large eagle statues above its entrance. These eagles clearly show that it was a federal building.
The building's front has tall, elegant columns in the Beaux-Arts style. The upper parts of the building show the newer Moderne style from 1924. Inside, the main banking hall looks like a temple. It features murals by Jules Guerin. He was the artist who created the color scheme for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition. The building's foundation was even built strong enough to hold 14 more stories of offices.
Art Inside and Out
The architect, George Kelham, believed that art and architecture should work together. He had worked closely with Jules Guerin, the artist who designed the colors for the 1915 Exposition. Guerin also painted the murals for the Lincoln Memorial. Kelham chose Guerin to paint a large mural called "Traders of the Adriatic." This painting is in the main lobby entrance. It shows Venetian shipping merchants. It celebrates the world of banking.
Two sculptures by artist Arman were added to the Sansome Street entrance in 1990. They are called "Dionysus" and "Hermes." Together, they form one artwork called "Hermes and Dyonisos: Monument to Analysis."
Near the building, on Commercial Street, there is a bronze sphere with black designs. This artwork is by German artist Fritz Koenig. It is similar to his famous sculpture, The Sphere, which was at the World Trade Center.
Modern Updates and Green Design
Bringing the Building to Life
After Bently Holdings bought the Old Federal Reserve, they started a big project. They wanted to update the building's inside. This would make it more attractive for new renters.
They worked hard to keep the original Beaux-Arts style. But they also added modern technology and eco-friendly designs. They used new flooring made from renewable materials. The lighting system was designed to use natural sunlight. A special system was put in place to save energy. It watches if rooms are empty or full. Then, it adjusts the heating, cooling, and lights to save power. These systems help the building save 66% on lighting energy costs each year. The building's windows have been there since 1924. They let in lots of sunlight, which the new lighting system uses.
Areas like the Banking Hall were also restored. The beautiful chandeliers, designed by the architect, were carefully fixed. New energy-saving lights were added. The hand-painted walls and Italian marble floors were cleaned and repaired. The grand staircase was also reconditioned. Jules Guerin's mural was cleaned and preserved.
This big renovation was managed by BCCI Builders. In 2009, the Bently Reserve earned a special award. It received silver certification for its green design. This award is called LEED Silver CS.
The Bently Reserve Today
Today, the top floors of the building are rented by different companies. These include Smith Group and the Bar Association of San Francisco. The owner, Christopher Bently, wants the building to be very green. He asks all new renters to design their offices to be at least LEED Silver Certified. One renter, the Energy Foundation, even got the highest award, LEED-CI Platinum Certification. This was the first commercial space in San Francisco to do so.
The Bently Reserve also has modern technology. This includes high-definition audio and video. It has digital video conferencing and fast Wi-Fi. A very secure fiber optic network runs through the building. This provides a safe network for both renters and events.
The lower floors of the Bently Reserve are still rented for special events. These include business meetings and conferences. The building is known as one of San Francisco's green event places. It works with eco-friendly caterers and other businesses.
Did you know that two old ships are buried under the building? They are called the Apollo and the Niantic. They were sunk during the California Gold Rush. Two of the building's meeting rooms are named after these ships.
